Ex-NHL player Jeremy Roenick criticizes controversial remarks about team USA

Roenick Defends Team USA Men’s Hockey Amid Criticism

Jeremy Roenick, a former NHL player and Hockey Hall of Famer, responded to the backlash against Team USA men’s hockey during an appearance on “Jesse Watters Prime Time” on Monday. He expressed disappointment over how their Olympic gold medal victory against Canada at the Milan-Cortina Olympics has not been celebrated widely.

“We’re all disappointed that we couldn’t celebrate this,” Roenick remarked, highlighting that this win marked the first Olympic gold in men’s hockey for the U.S. since the legendary 1980 “Miracle on Ice” team.

He emphasized, “Sports shouldn’t be political. Sports should unite the country. I think most Americans who engage on social media genuinely love sports.” He was clearly frustrated by the growing politicization of athletics, stating, “It’s unfortunate that we can’t enjoy the greatest moments in sports together due to the voices of those who criticize.”

The U.S. men’s hockey team faced criticism after footage of them celebrating an overtime win with FBI Director Kash Patel emerged, which included Patel congratulating the team on a call to President Donald Trump.

The president invited the team to attend the State of the Union address in Washington, D.C. Several players accepted this invitation enthusiastically.

Trump also made a light-hearted comment regarding the women’s team, saying that if he didn’t “bring” them, he’d likely be “impeached.” The U.S. women’s team, after winning their own gold medal against Canada, declined the invitation, citing scheduling issues.

Meanwhile, Olympic star Jack Hughes and Team USA returned to the U.S., celebrating their achievement in Miami, where they sang the national anthem at the nightclub E11EVEN.

Roenick added, with a sense of humor, “There’s going to be a lot of sagging—hair will be a mess—but they’ll represent America just as they did in Italy. They’ll show up with pride and give the president a thumbs up.” He expressed pride in both the country and the sport, stating that they have never been better.